Jeshara

Chapter Two

        I have a feeling I know what you’re thinking.

        ‘Wow, you get to be immortal and have awesome nature powers your so lucky!’ No, trust me I'm not. I'm a jerk, with the worst luck in the world, but i'll get to the reasons why another time.

        At the moment I was lying on a grass mat about 15ft up from the ground, otherwise known as my bed. The mat was fastened between two v-shaped branches and made a triangle, where I slept at night. It's surprisingly comfortable, better than the ground at least, and safer too.

        The sky was tinged with gray. I closed my eyes letting my mind wander until the sun rose. As usual it wandered to the past.

        You would think that after a tragedy like a parents death that a person would change for the better. I didn't, I got worse. I demanded to be served like a princess, never lifted a finger and threw temper tantrums that would shame a two year old. I was a brat, which made no sense to my poor mother, she had raised all her kids the same, where has I gone wrong?

        Father had only been a simple farmer but he had been our main source of income. Mother worked at a nearby tavern during the day before father's death, afterward we rarely saw her, she worked constantly to put food on the table and it wasn't always there.

        Richard and Billy went around doing random chores for spare change, Katherine took care of the vegetable garden in the back yard. The small square surrounding our house was the only land we had left. We had no one to work it so it had to be sold. Marianna took care of the house. Me, I just sat there, staring out the window, occasionally complaining or yelling at someone.

        If I was really bored sometimes I would take care of Fern. She was always my favorite. I could just talk to her and she wouldn't talk back. I told that little girl my deepest secrets, my darkest fears, and she'd just stare at me with those little green eyes. I guess I should have seen it coming, maybe I would have even done something to change it. I did nothing, I shouldn't have expected anything in return.

        The back of my eyelids turned from black to green. The sun was up so I should be to. I sat up and opened my eyes. I could feel the diurnal part of the forest begin to stir. There was a certain energy moving around, the kind that's only out at the crack of dawn. The next branch down from my bed bent towards the ground and I slid down it. Mother Oak knew me so well, I didn't even have to ask. Hmm, breakfast, the strawberries might be ready.

        The best patch of wild strawberries was near my maple. Well she wasn't really my maple, she was her own person I mean tree. She was my... how should I put this? Maybe benefactor? See, forest spirits need a host, so forest spirits in training need something like that but we're not connected like they are. A beautiful old maple had agreed to... help me start.

        She gave me one of her leaves with piece of her essence in it. As it had been fall at the time the so leaf had been a russet-orange. It had landed just below the center of my collar bone, above my dress. Now I had a leaf with brown leaves spiraling out of it imprinted on me and a part of Shar in my soul.

        That's how my name changed from Jessica to Jeshara, because they share a part of each other forest spirits always take a part of their host tree's name combined with their previous host's name as their own.

        Take Naiomi for example, her last host was called Nimi, and Mother Oak is called Ayo. Slap 'em together and you get Naiomi. So my name is a combination of Jessica and Shar. Cool right? It's nice to be able to change your name, to start over with someone new.

        Mother asked me to stay at the table after the small portion of bread we called dinner. Something big was coming I could feel it.

        Mom began, "Jessica, it's been six months..." She trailed for a moment, unsure how to proceed. "Jess... I can't afford to take care of all of you anymore. If there were only 5 and everyone pitched in we might be able to scrape by, but if something doesn't change soon we're all going to starve." I nodded. I barely move and even I had lost too much wait to be healthy.

        "You're nearly 11," I was 10 and a half. "You could manage on your own." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

        "I need you to leave." I took in a sharp breath. Well I wasn't expecting that.

        "You need me to leave?" I repeated, puzzled. She nodded. After a few moments it sunk in. I was being kicked out of my home. Mother tensed, she probably expected me to throw another temper tantrum. I didn't. I guess I understood. I nodded once more, stood up from the table and went to my room to pack the few things I had.